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From Grandma to Grand in East Passyunk

“Look for grandma houses,” Solo Real Estate’s Alex Franqui advised married couple Leah Rominger and Dave Krevolin. Dave elaborates, “Grandma houses have good bones but bad design.” With Dave being a sculptor and Leah a landscape architect, good bones were all they needed. With Solo, they found them!

 

Leah and Dave chose Solo after meeting Alex at an open house three years prior, at which they’d stopped in on a lark. The couple was immediately drawn to Alex’s honest and approachable demeanor. When they were ready to buy a house, Leah and Dave already knew Alex was the agent they wanted to work with.

 

Alex helped Leah and Dave distill their priorities. Together, they realized it would be better to get more for their purchase price by leveraging the couple’s design and handyman skills. The final list of must-haves consisted of: location near Passyunk Avenue, more than 1,000 square feet in size, and, of course, those good bones.

 

Part of their attraction to the area was Leah’s participation as lead volunteer for the Community Design Collaborative team that created a conceptual redesign of the Columbus Square Park. She felt an attachment to the neighborhood and knew it was where she wanted to buy.

 

After looking at about twenty houses and putting in three offers, the couple closed on a 1,345 square foot home in East Passyunk Crossing with a sound structure filled with “poor 70s design,” as Dave puts it.

 

The living room before, replete with "poor 70s design"
The living room before, replete with “poor 70s design”

 

The short list of such design choices included drop ceilings, carpeting, and wallpaper—even on the ceilings! From their closing date at the end of December until now, the couple, along with friend and fellow sculptor David Markham Gessner, has worked diligently to reverse those design decisions and expose lovely original features in addition to layering on their own, modern touches.

 

The living room after, hard to believe it is the same house!
The living room after, hard to believe it is the same house!

 

“I always underestimate how long things will take,” Dave claims, but for only six months of work, the house has experienced an astonishing transformation.

 

Dave and friend David Markham Gessner enlarged and completely rehabbed the bathroom even laying the tile themselves, and Leah found the clawfoot on Craigslist
Dave and friend David Markham Gessner enlarged and completely rehabbed the bathroom even laying the tile themselves, and Leah found the clawfoot on Craigslist

 

Some of their accomplishments include: removing the first floor carpet to reveal and refinish stunning original oak flooring with inlays, pulling off infinite amounts of wallpaper and exposing brick in the living room and bedrooms, a gut rehab of the bathroom, building a custom bed frame and starting to rebuild the second floor addition.

 

The bedroom, with freshly exposed brick and a gorgeous custom bed frame Dave built as their wedding present
The bedroom, with freshly exposed brick and a gorgeous custom bed frame Dave built as their wedding present

 

Leah and Dave didn’t stop there. Despite having the ubiquitous paved South Philly backyard, theirs is larger than usual. Leah took advantage of this extra space to design, as she puts it, “pop-up beer garden-style furniture,” using repurposed pallets. (Their tip: Target’s parking lot on Columbus Boulevard is a reliable source for pallets.)

 

Dave and Leah enjoying the "pop-up beer garden"-style backyard furniture designed by Leah and built by Dave
Dave and Leah enjoying the “pop-up beer garden”-style backyard furniture designed by Leah and built by Dave

 

The only spaces yet untouched by their refined design aesthetic are the powder room and the kitchen. As for the latter, Leah explains, “We want to live with it first to figure out what it needs.” The only steps taken thus far were installing a new light and removing the fake Styrofoam “exposed beams” on the ceiling.

 

Give Leah and Dave another few months and their former grandma house will be completely unrecognizable, and will be simply grand.

New Digs: DIY Dreams Come True in South Philly

Unlike many buyers, Caitlin Perkins was not looking for as much square footage as her budget could buy. Nor was she looking for recently rehabbed. Caitlin was looking for a house as small as possible with a sound structure, in South Philadelphia, to be her canvas. Solo found her just the place.

 

As a mixed-media artist, print maker, and painter, she knew she could peel back wallpaper, pull up carpet, and build furniture. Aside from structural integrity (and a basement), her priorities were size and location—and not in the typical sense.

 

As for size, Caitlin was inspired by the sustainability of the Tiny House Movement and originally sought to purchase a genuine “tiny house” on wheels (usually around 170-300 square feet), and a vacant lot to park it on. However, no bank would give her a mortgage for a house with wheels or vacant land.

 

Then a colleague pointed out that many houses in South Philadelphia fall within the tiny house criteria of 172-875 square feet. Added bonus for Caitlin was the fact that her employer, Fleisher Art Memorial, participates in Philadelphia Home-Buy-Now, an employer down payment matching program providing assistance for employees purchasing homes, typically near the workplace—in this case, zip codes 19147 and 19148.

 

The tiny house (left) and Caitlin, the tiny house owner and visionary (right)

 

With her budget and specifications in place, she needed a realtor to help her find and buy her future canvas. Caitlin reached out to several agencies to set up introductory interviews. “Deborah Solo was the only agent who took time to meet with me in person,” she recalls. “Everyone else was too busy to bother and just sent me a brief email back.” Deborah, on the other hand, thoughtfully walked her through the home buying process before Caitlin had even committed to being her client. Caitlin was sold.

 

Deborah was able to quickly identify properties that met Caitlin’s criteria and budget. Within a few showings, they found the perfect property in the Whitman section of South Philadelphia, and immediately put in an offer. Two other developers also put offers on the house. Deborah encouraged Caitlin to write a personal letter to the owners in addition to going in at the full asking price that the developers were offering. The letter worked, and the seller selected Caitlin’s offer!

 

Did we mention that the house, weighing in at 728 square feet, had drop ceilings, wood paneling, velvet wallpaper, and 30-plus year old carpet? In other words, in Caitlin’s eyes, “I knew this was the perfect house.” On March 1st, a week after closing, she began peeling back the layers on the walls, floors, and ceilings in the house to get down to the original structure, with the help of her friend and handyman Tom Karu. Caitlin began adding her custom, creative finishes from there.

 

The dining room before (left) and after (right). Caitlin cleverly painted the wood panelling and installed new pine flooring to bring this room into the 21st century

 

By the time the photographs were taken for this article in mid-May, Caitlin had made an astonishing amount of progress. Exceptionally astonishing considering she did all the work on the property while working her full-time job. “I find it energizing,” she explains.

 

Only an energized individual could remove five layers of flooring from the living room, layers of wall paper from each wall, lift drop ceilings, build custom kitchen shelving and countertops, patch plaster walls and use the historically accurate technique of lime washing.

 

Caitlin built this sideboard (left) out of a wall cabinet from the kitchen, and crafted a bedroom closet (right) with three folding chairs

 

Out of these and many more accomplishments, the only thing that temporarily thwarted Caitlin was the staircase. “It almost broke me,” she recounts, “it had carpet, then linoleum, then several layers of paint and adhesive…it took forever.” The results of her hard work? A house that is a Pinterest DIY dreamscape, and a homeowner who lost four sizes in the process!

 

The stunning kitchen counter, custom-made with metal pipes, butcher block, and a repurposed cabinet

 

Not only has the house itself been a canvas, Caitlin also plans to use much of the space in the house to create art in. The front room will be primarily a painting studio, the basement a printmaking studio, and the second bedroom is her writing room.

 

The living room, desperately in need of an update before (left), elegant modern painting studio after (right)

 

We may have to make a second visit to Caitlin in a few months, at the rate she’s enhancing the property, it has many more dramatic transformations to come! She has already decided that creating a water-saving washing sink in the bathroom will be her next project.

New Digs: Coming Full Circle to Passyunk Square

Sometimes realtors can interpret what their clients want before the clients can. “If you told us we’d move to this neighborhood when we first started looking we’d say ‘no way,’” recount Amara and Dave Hahn.  But Solo Real Estate’s Kevin Rodricks knew Passyunk Square was a good fit based on the Hahns’ desire to live somewhere walkable, with connectivity to the rest of the City, and restaurants and activities nearby.

 

Amara and Dave are originally from “all over,” or in other words, Boston via Palo Alto via Boston via Chicago, where they first met. Dave’s acceptance into law school at the University of Pennsylvania and Amara’s ability to transfer her non-profit consulting job brought them to Philly. Buying was the obvious choice due to their desire to set down roots coupled with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s unique financing options.

 

As for the style of house, they knew they wanted a rowhome, “it seemed very Philly to me,” recalls Amara. A move-in ready property without generic upgrades were must-haves; if the property was to have any signature detail Amara and Dave wanted it to be historic, not Home Depot. Hardwood floors were also a must. Carpet? A deal-breaker. A decent-sized kitchen and a third bedroom rounded out their list of wants. Luckily, this list could be satisfied by housing stock in many corners of the City. Which meant location-wise, Amara and Dave had options.

 

Amara & Dave Hahn (left) in their new living room, and their open floor plan living/dining room (right), a hallmark Philly rowhome feature the Hahns love

 

The Hahns were open to anywhere that met those three qualifications of walkability, connectivity, and activity—another list satisfied by many Philadelphia neighborhoods. What followed was a whirlwind tour of the City to narrow those potential neighborhoods down.

 

Dave and Amara had seen a property in Passyunk Square, but weren’t drawn to the neighborhood from their quick drive through it. Instead, they were initially attracted to Mt. Airy until Kevin showed them the schedule for the train line required to get downtown from there. After that, Mt. Airy was out.

 

On to West Philly, Fairmount, Brewerytown, deep South Philly! While they found many contenders, no property perfectly matched both Amara and Dave’s home design and neighborhood desires. Kevin encouraged them to give Passyunk Square another chance, and this time to get out of the car and walk around. Amara and Dave spent an evening dining at the local restaurant Izumi and were sold.

 

Finding the home that met their needs soon followed: in fact, it was Kevin’s wife Justine who found it, after also becoming invested in the Amara and Dave’s search. During the week while Amara and Dave were in Boston, Kevin and eventually Justine as well would “preview” properties so they could rule out those that wouldn’t be worth the Hahns’ limited weekend time.

 

After previewing five other properties one day, Kevin and Justine arrived at a two-story Passyunk Square rowhome with a classic brick façade, hardwood floors throughout, sufficient kitchen counter space, and the third bedroom that sometimes evades two-story rowhomes. Kevin and Justine turned to each other and said “it’s perfect,” and Amara and Dave agreed.

 

Amara & Dave’s must-have’s included ample kitchen counter space (left) – check! – and a 3rd bedroom (right) – check!

 

As a bonus, their charming home is located on a beautiful tree-lined block in close proximity to a grocery store, an asset that was not a “must-have” but which they are quite grateful for in hindsight. After 50 home viewings and 11 round trips from Boston, Amara and Dave came full circle to Passyunk Square!

New Digs: Committing to Passyunk Square for the Long Haul

You know you’ve bought the ideal home when you never want to move out of it. “Not only is this our first house, but our last,” jokes recent homebuyer Carly Goodman. Her husband, Andrew Thomas, puts it more bluntly: “We want to die in this house.” The couple’s interest in remaining in situ is not only due to an appreciation of their unique find, but also witnessing Carly’s grandparents’ experience of homeownership into old age.

 

A PhD program in history and law school at Temple University brought Carly and Andrew, respectively, to Philadelphia from Brooklyn about five years ago. Their initial impression of the City of Brotherly Love? “We visited Philly when we were accepted into Temple, and had the best time, and have been having a great time ever since.”

 

As their commitment to Philadelphia deepened, homeownership became a practical next step. Not only were Carly and Andrew prepared to commit long-term to Philadelphia, but also to a certain neighborhood, and, once they found it, to their house. Which indirectly explains their strong desire to have a powder room:

 

“It’s very uncommon to find a powder room on the first floor of Philadelphia rowhomes,” they realized. It was that lack of powder room that forced Carly’s grandparents to leave their Northeast Philadelphia home once her grandfather was no longer able to walk up the stairs. Thus a powder room was placed high on their list of “must haves” while house shopping, and in that respect their 3-story rowhome in Passyunk Square does not disappoint.

 

Carly & Andrew’s timeless brick facade (left) with black accents, and a view of the living room from above (right) facilitated by an unusual double-height ceiling with a walkway that hugs the second story perimeter

 

Beyond the powder room requirement, their new digs met a remarkable number of the couple’s “must haves”.  Foremost on the list was location; Carly and Andrew knew they wanted to live in “this quadrant of the city.” As former renters in nearby Washington Square West, they love Passyunk Square’s proximity to Center City as well as its local offerings such as Nam Phuong Restaurant and Devil’s Den.

 

Carly and Andrew worked with Solo Real Estate’s Alex Franqui, who respected their desire to look at as many homes as possible within that quadrant. The ability to look at a multitude of houses familiarized Carly and Andrew with which features were important to them and what square footage they wanted. While plenty of rowhomes were on the market in their desired neighborhood, they found that many were cookie-cutter rehabs and soon realized they didn’t want to buy new construction or a gut-rehabbed property.

 

Upon first visiting their current home, they were practically sold. It was an owner-occupied property, full of unique detail, and satisfied their remaining “must haves” with its large kitchen, outdoor space, and move-in ready status. Only one step remained: the approval of Andrew’s mother, an interior designer, and father, a real estate lawyer.

 

Some of the “must haves” in Carly and Andrew’s new digs: a sizable kitchen (left) and unique detail (right) such as this second story walkway and windowsill reading nook

 

On the day they were scheduled to visit the property with parents in tow, everything seemed fated against them. Despite torrential downpour and a blown-out tire, Alex ensured that Andrew’s parents were able to see the property, which fulfilled the essential last requirement: they loved it.

New Digs: Brewerytown Renovation Part Two

Finding beautiful hardwood floors under nasty green carpeting was one of many big surprises that Ashley and Thomas in renovating their first home. We’ll explore these and other unique moments in Part Two of our New Digs: Renovation series.

For Ashley and Thomas, removing that tired carpet was just one of many necessary leaps of faith taken during their first home renovation process. While they lucked out with the home’s hidden hardwood floors, other surprises and tough decisions were frequent and not always so positive.

“We really had to learn how to roll with the punches” Ashley says with a laugh.

The new house, a Brewerytown rowhome purchased for under $50,000, needed some major work done. The newlyweds were smart enough however to know they needed a good contractor to handle not only this older property’s known issues, but also those surprises as well. After getting some lowball offers, they found a local contractor who was both realistic about their budget and, just as importantly, a good listener.

Basic renovations to the plumbing and electrical systems came first. Even then though, Ashley and Thomas were eager to add their own touches. When remodeling the kitchen for example, they chose to have the sink face out towards the dining room: that way they could talk to guests while doing the dishes and ultimately better incorporate the kitchen into the flow of their home.

With so many of these needed and technically complex renovations going on, the newlyweds knew it was important they stay informed even if they didn’t quite have an opinion/choice in the matter. “I just had to keep telling myself ‘You are allowed to ask as many questions as you want’” Ashley says “and I’m glad we had a contractor who got that.”

Once the big-ticket changes were made, the couple got their chance to make some more fun, cosmetic changes. Raising the ceiling in the master bedroom, restoring an original skylight in the bathroom and scrapping the ancient wallpaper for fresh paint helped personalize and brighten their new home.

Sitting in their beautifully renovated living room, Ashley now has the chance to wax philosophical about the whole renovation experience. “You learn you have to go through open doors and if you come across a closed one, well, you find another way forward.”

To see Ashley and Thomas’ fully renovated home, check out the video below.

New Digs: Brewerytown Renovation Part Two

New Digs: Brewerytown Renovation Part One

Buying and renovating a home is tough business, especially for first timers. In this two part series, we’ll meet Ashley and Thomas, newlyweds who recently purchased a house in Brewerytown and got to experience the ups and downs of the renovation process.

Ashley, a mental health therapist, and Thomas, a youth soccer program director, were renting in Fairmount when they decided it was time to test the waters of home ownership.

They set about to make their limited budget work in the nearby (and up-and-coming) Brewerytown and Francisville neighborhoods. “There are some great opportunities around here if you’re willing to do the work” Thomas notes.

After seeing a number of homes in need of serious TLC, Ashley and Thomas got a call from their Solo Real Estate agent to come see a rowhome just north of Girard before developers scooped it up. The two rushed over and quickly made an offer on the 3 bedroom / 1 bathroom house. While it took several anxious weeks for their offer to be accepted, they eventually settled for just under $50,000.

The newlyweds however quickly realized they needed to keep their vision in line with their finances. While their FHA 203k loan was enough to make the major updates the house needed, they knew they’d have to be smart about which cosmetic changes they could afford to undertake. Finding the right contractor to help make these big decisions was key, too.

Keeping an eye trained on the big picture and the small details then, the two were ready for the challenge of transforming their new Brewerytown home.

Check out the video below to see Ashley discuss her new house while it was under construction. Also, stay tuned for our next article in this series to see this couple’s dreams for their home meet the realities of the renovation process.

New Digs: Brewerytown Renovation Part One

New Digs: Finding the Unexpected in Queen Village

When a new job at the University of Pennsylvania brought research scientist Stewart Anderson, his wife Alexandra and their family from Manhattan to Philadelphia, they were eager to find a great and kid-friendly home. They would quickly learn however that getting the perfect house would require an open mind.

 

In beginning their home search, Stewart and Alexandra agreed on a few basic requirements for their future house: they wanted a place where their young son would be safe (“no spiral staircases” Alexandra says) that also had outdoor space, three real bedrooms (Stewart’s daughter from a previous marriage lives with the couple during the school year) and lots of light.

 

Where they might find a home with those attributes and in their price range became the real question though. After Alexandra ruled out West Philadelphia, Stewart’s new colleagues encouraged him to look in the Fitler’s Square neighborhood. While he and Alexandra loved the area, they had trouble finding a home there that met all their needs. “Prices were higher in Fitler’s Square than we liked, and I felt like we would be paying for the great neighborhood and not much more” Stewart says.

 

Stewart and Alexandra soon realized they needed to learn more about what was out there in order to find the right home. “We’re scientists” Stewart says with a smile, “and when we find out there’s something we don’t know, we’re trained to educate ourselves.”

 

Working with Deborah Solo, they did their research and soon began looking in Queen Village – a neighborhood they had heard of but hadn’t realized was quite so kid-friendly. The couple quickly fell in love with the area’s quirky charms, strong community feel and access to the great restaurants around Headhouse Square.

 

A large outdoor space at his Queen Village home was a major selling point for Stewart Anderson (pictured) and his family.
A large outdoor space at his Queen Village home was a major selling point for Stewart Anderson (pictured) and his family.

 

Growing steadily more confident about the area, Stewart eventually found a modern five bedroom townhouse on a residential block in Queen Village. Touring the home, Stewart loved the huge back deck area, expansive windows and one-car garage. For her part though, Alexandra was put off by the home’s décor. Stewart insisted, and Deborah affirmed, that those aesthetic issues could be easily fixed. Indeed, both Stewart and Alexandra are quick to add that working with Deborah was a breeze – “She knew when to take the lead and when to step back. We really appreciated that” Stewart says.

 

While their home search wasn’t quite as quick as they had hoped, the family is truly pleased with their new abode. More than just the house itself, they’ve come to appreciate their new neighborhood’s little perks, like the easy access to I-95 and the decidedly non-Manhattan like peace and quiet of Queen Village. These are the kind of benefits that make this new Philadelphia family confident they’ll love this home for many years to come.

New Digs: Seeking Fewer Compromises in Philly

“The difference between New York City and Philadelphia is the difference between perpetually renting and actually setting down roots.” That wisdom comes from Gregorio, an art director, who after living for years in New York City made the decision to embrace home ownership in the East Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.

 

Before his move to the City of Brotherly Love, Gregorio spent nearly a decade living in a loft apartment in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Those familiar with Bushwick know that the area, once one of that city’s roughest, has recently experienced tremendous redevelopment and gentrification. For all the good that development has done though, Gregorio ultimately came to feel pushed out by the community’s rapid change “My landlord wanted to raise my rent from $1500 to $1900, and honestly I didn’t want to be around the people who would pay that for 500 square feet in Bushwick.” While he considered buying an apartment in the area, the city’s runaway real estate prices ultimately made Gregorio feel like he was fighting a losing battle.

 

With his dreams of owning a home on the back burner, Gregorio made a fateful trip to Philadelphia’s Rodin Museum. As a Southern California native, he had little experience with our city, but was immediately impressed by Philadelphia’s authenticity, lack of pretension and deep cultural heritage. Gregorio is quick to note that, as someone who used lived in Italy, Philadelphia feels to him like “the most European city in the United States.”

 

With his visits to Philadelphia becoming more frequent, so too did Gregorio’s doubts about living in an increasingly expensive New York City. He eventually made the choice to contact Solo Realty, deciding he was ready to look in Philadelphia for a real house where he wouldn’t have to compromise on space or the little luxuries of home ownership.

 

Gregorio worked with Solo Real Estate’s Alex Franqui, asking to see rowhomes with outdoor spaces in great, up-and-coming Philadelphia neighborhoods. “I think we saw 20 houses in one day” Gregorio laughs, saying that he felt drawn to East Kensington both for its energy and sense of community. Eventually Alex called Gregorio, then back in Brooklyn, and told him he had found a great place that he needed to see immediately – “I rented a car, came down and knew it was perfect right away” Gregorio says with a smile.

 

Gregorio's artwork, including this fabulous portrait of actress Tilda Swinton, decorates his bedroom (left), while potted plants liven up his new home's backyard (right).
Gregorio’s artwork, including this fabulous portrait of actress Tilda Swinton, decorates his bedroom (left), while potted plants liven up his new home’s backyard (right).

 

After a quick negotiation, Gregorio purchased a three bedroom home not far from the El’s Berks Station. The home came with great built-ins, thanks in part to its woodworking former owner. And with his artist’s eye, Gregorio also made his own series of unique design choices, all complimented by the home’s beautiful hardwood floors.

 

As for his job as a freelance art director, Gregorio has found that Philadelphia makes a great base for his work, which can take him across the country. Best yet for this native Californian, he was able to purchase a car along with his new home, something he’d only fantasized about in Brooklyn. “I don’t use it that much because the area’s just so walkable” Gregorio says, adding however that “it’s still a great little perk of living here.” That choice seems to be indicative of Gregorio’s whole Philadelphia experience, using his new home here to enjoy the urban lifestyle to its fullest.

New Digs: Industry and Artistry in East Kensington

Buying a house is a huge financial decision. But it’s more than that too. Our homes and neighborhoods define who we are and the lives we’ll lead. In New Digs, our latest blog series, we speak with Solo clients about the lessons they learned finding a new place to call home.

 

The Milk Depot Lofts in East Kensington look like the too-good-to-be-true urban apartments you see on TV. With a collection of airy, industrial-chic dwellings housed in a 25,000 square foot converted milk processing plant, a loft here is the polar opposite of the kind you’d find in a typical, cookie-cutter city apartment building. And that’s just what arts educator Ruth McGee loves about her new home.

 

Ruth, a teacher at a local Quaker high school, spent the past three years living in a highrise building along the Delaware River. Eventually, she decided that the building’s short-term leases and separation from Center City kept it from having the community feel she craved. Contacting Solo Realty, Ruth was willing to look nearly everywhere to find an apartment that was both in a great neighborhood that would and also gave her room to practice her passion for clay sculpting. Bouncing from open house to open house, Ruth was focused on finding a space with which she truly connected, saying that “I figured I’d know it when I found the place for me.”

 

Ruth worked with Deborah Solo, who eventually brought her to East Kensington to see the Milk Depot Lofts. “I think Deborah had a really good sense of what I was looking for” Ruth notes. After scoping out the area (and being impressed by its short distance to the Market-Frankford line’s Berks Station), she got a chance to go inside and see building’s quirky charm, which includes two enormous vintage milk boilers and an inviting central courtyard. Impressed, Ruth continued on to Apartment 201 and knew she had found her new home.

 

collageNewDigs1Ext
The Milk Depot Lofts (left), seen from Amber Street, are full of industrial relics, like this huge original milk sanitizer (right).

 

With high ceilings and expansive windows, this corner unit gets hours of bright sunlight, something that Ruth, who has begun to paint in addition to her clay work, found to be a great asset. The apartment’s somewhat raw space also gave her room to adapt it to her needs. Finally, the building’s relatively small number of units, populated by artists and creative professionals, was a great antidote for the anonymity of her Delaware Avenue highrise. “I appreciated the fact that there are artistic people around. It really adds to the community feel of the building” Ruth says.

 

The apartment's soaring ceilings (left) and bright, natural light attracted artist Ruth (right) to Unit 201.
The apartment’s soaring ceilings (left) and bright, natural light attracted artist Ruth (right) to Unit 201.

 

Quickly going into contract, Ruth says her neighbors in her old building were a little shocked, not just because she was moving to a loft, but because that loft was in Kensington. But with the building’s hip location and industrial charm, along with its ample room and bonus basement-studio space, Ruth says the decision was an easy one.

 

Ruth still has some changes to make to the apartment, but overall she’s very pleased with her decision. Better still, as an artist who draws inspiration from her environment, Ruth is excited by the ways in which the industrial aesthetic of her new home and neighborhood will influence her sculpting and painting. “I can’t wait to see what happens!” Ruth declares with a smile.